Victor clifford



Feb. 19 1924.. I

v. CLIFFORD VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 25. 1,922

[war amomz INVENTOF:

ATTORN EY WITNESS:

Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR CLIFFORD, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA. ASSIGNOB TO PETROLEUM SAFETY APPLI-ANGIE COMPANY, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION.

VENT FOR- LIQUID CONTAINERS.

Application filed August 25, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Vroron CLIFFORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, haveinvented new and useful lmprovements in Vents for Liquid Containers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vents of the kind that are used on liquidcontainers.

The main object of my invention is to provide a vent for liquidcontainers which is so constructed that it will prevent evaporation ofthe liquid in the container on which it is used, permit air to enter thecontainer to facilitate the withdrawal of the liquid therefrom, andautomatically relieve an abnormal internal pressure in the con tainer.

Another object is to provide a vent of the character above describedthat will protect the contents of the container from tire, that isreliable in operation and which is inexpensive to build and install.

To this end I have devised a vent which is provided with a liquid sealedinlet valve and a liquid sealed outlet valve arranged in such a mannerthat they normally cut off communication between the atmosphere and theinterior of the liquid container on which the vent is used, but arecapable of operat ing automatically to permit air to enter the containerwhen liquid is being withdrawn from the container and to permit gases toescape from the container when an abnormal pressure is created inthecontainer. The vent preferably comprises a hollow member provided withtwo reservoirs for holding liquid, an inlet valve and an outlet valveassociated with said reservoirs and sealed by the liquid in same, and anopening in said hollow member arranged. in such a way that the operationof with drawing liquid. from the container causes air to pass throughsaid opening and unseat the inlet valve, and the accumulation of anabnormal quantity of gases in the containercauses the outlet valve tounseat and permit the gases to escape through said opening,therebyrelieving the internal pressure in the container,

A vent of the construction above described is capable of use withvarious kinds of liq uid containers, but it is particularly adapted foruse on containers in which hydrocarbons are stored or transported, as iteliminates Serial No. 584,373.

air valve when the liquid is being with-- drawn from the container.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view ot a vent constructed inaccordance with my invention. a

Figure 2 is a side elevation, showing it arranged in operative positionon a liquid container; and

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates an elongatedupstanding casing or hollow member which is preferably cylindrical. andwhich has its upper end closed and its lower end open and formed with aflange 11 that is adapted to be connected to the upper side or top of acontainer A. m At its intermediate portion one side of said casing isprovided with an opening 12 surrounded by a flange 13 to which is boltedthe flanged end 14- ot' a conduit member 15. A fine wire screen 16 isheld between the flanges 13 and 14; for the purpose of preventingflaring back of flame in case of an explosion. In the form of my invention herein shown the top of the casing 10 is provided with an openingnormally closed by a closure plug 17 having an angular wrench engaginghead 18. Extending longitudinally of the casing is a passage 19 whoseupper end communicates with the interior of the upper portion of saidcasing and whose lower end communicates with the interior of thecontainer A.

Extending transversely of the casing 10 above the opening 12 is apartition 20 having a threaded opening 21 therein into which isscrewedthe lower end of an upstanding tubular member22 formed in itsopposite sides with openings 28, the annularspace surrounding saidmember 22 constituting a reservoir. Telescopically engaged upon thistubular member 22 is an, inverted cup-shaped inlet valve 24E which isnormally sealed by a quantity of oil 25 in the reservoir surrounding thetubular member 22, as shown. The oil supply within this reservoir may bereplenished through a filling neck 26 having a screwplug 27. Alsoleading from this reservoir is a drain cook 28 whereby the oil may beremoved when desired.

Located within the lower portion of the casing 10 isa partition 29having a threaded opening 30 therein into which is screwed an upstandingtubular member 31 formed with open-ings32 and normally covered by aninverted cup-shaped outlet valve 33 having its lower end sealed in abody of oil 34 in the reservoir formed by the annular-space thatsurrounds the member 31. I provide said reservoir with a filling member35 and a drain cock 36 similar to the elements 26 and 28 already(described.

Upward movement of the inlet valve 24 is limited by its engagement withthe plug 17 while upward movement of the outlet valve 33 is limited byengagement with a stop 37 which extends transversely of the casing atthe uppered-ge of the opening 12 therein.

In the operation of the device it will be seen that in case vapor ofvarious kinds should arise from the container A and pass into the casing10 and subsequently condense, when the level within either of the twoliquid reservoirs exceeds a certain degree, the liquid will overflowthrough the openings 23 and 32 and pass back into the container A.

If for any reason pressure should accumulate within the container A orthe casing 16), the valve 33 will rise and permitthe pressure to escapethrough the openings 32 and thence into the conduit 15. The passage 19constitutes a vacuum relief through which air is admitted to thecontainer A during the operation of withdrawing liquid from thecontainer, the air'entering through the opening 12 and exerting pressureon the inlet valve 24 in adirection to unseat same.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will bereadily apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed andconsequently inexpensive attachment for containers of various kinds andfor various purposes which will operate to relieve pressure and preventthe formation of any vacuum within the container, it being well knownthat such pressure or vacuum formation will naturally have a harmfuleffectupon the container. It is to be observed that the action of mydevice is automatic in every way and that it will require absolutely noattention on the part of an operator. Owing to the simplicity of theconstruction and the fewness of the parts, it is apparent that thereis'nothing to get out of order and that the device should consequentlyhave a long life and satisfactorily perform all the "functions for whichit is intended.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is of course 'to be understood that I reservethe right tomake suchchanges in the form, construction and-arrangement of parts aswill not depart from the spirit of the invention .or the scope of thesubjoined claims.

tions within said casing above and below said openiiw, tubular membersextending through said partitions and formed with openings and invertedcup-shaped valves extendin over said tubular members and having theiropen ends sealed in a body of liquid on-the partitions.

A device of the character described comprising an upright casingdesigned to be mounted upon a container and provided in one side with anopenin a pair of partitions within said casing above and below saidopening, tubular members extending through said partitions and formedwith openings and inverted, cup-shaped valves extending over saidtubular members and having their open ends sealed in a body of liquid onthe partitions, a filling neck and a drain cock associated with each ofsaid liquid chambers.

A device of the character described comprising an upright casingdesigned to be mounted upon a container and provided in one side with anopening, a pair of par titions within said casing above and below saidopening, tubular members extending through said partitions and formedwith openings, and inverted, cup-shaped "alves extending over saidtubular members and having their open ends sealed in a body of liquid onthe partitions, said casing ing formed at one-side with a longitudinallyextending passage that establishes communication between the upper endof said casing and the container.

4. A. vent for liquid containers, consisting of meinber adapted to beconnected to a container and provided with a liquid sealed inlet valveand a, liquid sealed outlet valve.

A vent for liquid containers, provided with a liquid sea led inlet valveand a liquid sealed outlet valve arranged in such a way that the inletvalve will unseat automatically and thus perm-it air to enter thecontrainer during the operation of withdrawing liquid therefrom and theoutlet valve will unseat automatically in the event an abnormal pressureis created in the container and thus relieve said pressure.

6. A vent for liquid containers, comprising a hollow member adapted tobe connected -'to a container and provided with a liquid sealed inletvalve and a liquid sealed outlet valve, and an opening in said mem berthat is used to admit air to the container under certain conditions andto permit gases to-escape from thecontainer under certain conditions.

7 A vent for liquid containers, comprising a liquid sealed inlet valveand a liquid sealed outlet valve, means whereby the operation ofwithdrawing liquid from the con tainer causes air to unseat the inletvalve and travel through aipassageway into the container, and a separatepassageway leading from the container through which gases can escape andunseat the outlet valve I the event an abnormal pressure is created inthe container.

8. A vent for liquid containers, consisting of a hollow member adaptedto be con nected to a container and provided with an inlet passagewayand a discharge passageway, and liquid sealed valve-s combined with saidpassageways in such a man that the. operation of withdrawing liquid fromthe container tends to close the ou let valve and open the inlet valveand the creation of an abnormal pressure in the container tends to openthe outlet valve and seat; the inlet valve.

9. A vent for liquid containers, co1nprising a hollow member providedwith two liquid reservoirs, an inlet valve sealed by the liquid in oneof said reservoirs, an outletv valve sealed by the liquid in the otherreservoir, and a combined inlet and outlet opening in said member thatcooperates with both of said valves.

10. A vent for liquid containers, co1nprising a hollow member adapted tobe mounted on a liquid container in such a way that the lower end'ofsame is in communication with the container, liquid reservoirs in saidhollow member arranged one above the other and each equipped with avalve that is normally sealed by the liquid in the reservoir,an openingin said hollow member arranged at a point between said reservoirs forthe" purpose described, and an air inlet passageway in said hollowmember that establishes communication between the upper end of saidmember and the interior of the container.

11. A. vent for liquid containers, comprising a hollow member adaptedtobe mounted on a container and provided at its lower end with anopening which establishe communication between the container and thelower portion of said member, an air passageway in said) member thatestablishes communication between the container and the upper endportion of said member, an opening in the intermediate portion of saidmember through which air can enter said member or gases can escape fromsaid member, and liquid sealed valves arranged above and below saidopening, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

VICTOR CLIFFORD.

